Tuesday, 2 November 2010

There has been an increased debate around animal welfare in the past few years and its all good. Apart from one species. The Crayfish. When you come from a fishing family thats been in the business for 6 generations in New Zealand, you can become anaethetised to killing fish.

Our crayfish or rock lobsters, normally came home in a sack , were chucked in the cool of the wash house tub and then the water of a big mush pot was ready for them when it reached a rolling boil. You quickly dumped them in and jammed the lid on quick as they didn't seem to like the hot water very much.

And in the days of tailing at sea - the body was severed from the head. Probably the worst way to kill them as the bodies remained active for quite some time.

1 comment:

A crayfish’s brain operates from not one but several brains or ganglia. A ganglia, is a sort of secondary brain/nerve tissue mass. Disabling only the frontal ganglion (the bit corresponding to human brains) does not usually result in death or unconsciousness. So, stabbing them through the head or cutting off their bodies does not usually render them unconscious. Chilling does render them unconscious. Crayfish are actually quite bright as crustaceans go and clearly respond to noxious stimuli (pain). I love eating them, but for goodness sake, chill before killing.

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